Cybersecurity, Business Email Safety

How Businesses Should Handle Unexpected Payment and Bank-Detail Emails

Agencies and businesses are frequent targets of email scams requesting urgent payments, gift cards, or bank-detail changes. A calm, consistent response process is your best defence.

Recognise the Warning Signs

Treat any unexpected request for money or financial details with caution. Three common red flags are:

• Urgency or pressure – “Pay within the hour” or “Do not tell anyone.”

• Unusual method – demands for gift cards, crypto, or personal accounts instead of normal channels.

• Change in bank details – especially when tied to an existing supplier or senior leader.

Verify, Then Report

Never rely solely on the sender’s name or email address. Attackers often spoof or compromise genuine accounts, so a familiar sender does not guarantee legitimacy.

Instead, independently confirm the request using a known phone number from your internal directory, supplier contract, or CRM – not from the email itself. Call the person or organisation and ask them to confirm the details before taking any action.

If anything feels off, do not reply or click links. Report the email to your IT or security team immediately so they can investigate, block similar messages, and warn colleagues. A simple pause, a phone call, and a quick report can save your organisation from serious financial and reputational damage.